Alabama Christmas Parade Has Largest Attendance In Years Despite Atheist Attacks

A small Alabama town’s Christmas parade had the best attendance in years, even though it had to officially change its theme proclaiming faith in Jesus Christ because of a letter from a left-wing atheist organization.

The City of Piedmont, Alabama, located roughly 15 miles west of the the Alabama/Georgia state line, was set to host a Christmas parade with the theme, “Keep Christ in Christmas,” until it received a letter from the Wisconsin-based atheist group Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), asserting a single person from the City complained about the theme.

“[The parade’s theme] sends the message that the City not only prefers religion over non-religion, but also Christianity over all other faiths. It alienates non-Christians and others in Piedmont who do not in fact have a ‘strong belief in prayers’ by turning them into political outsiders in their own community.”

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The letter, composed by FFRF staff attorney Andrew Seidel, continued, saying, “The City must select a more appropriate, more inclusive, and constitutional theme for its holiday parade.”

The town selected “City of Piedmont Christmas Parade” as its new theme, after the Piedmont attorney told Mayor Bill Baker the original theme would not be suitable.

Despite the letter and the theme change, many residents came out publicly displaying their affection for their faith, including holding up signs that read, “Keep Christ in Christmas.” Baker told ABC 33/40 it was the largest attendance he has ever seen at the parade. “This anti-religious group that started all this stuff, I really believe this has backfired on them,” he said.

“What has happened now is the city of Piedmont, great city to live in, great people has rallied. They have caused our parade to be bigger and better with more emphasis placed on Christianity.”

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The parade was preceded by a prayer circle. Said attendee Harold Martin to ABC 33/40, “If we stick together like this–all the good Christian people will stick together and lift up the name of Jesus Christ, and not let these atheists and unbelievers scare us like they do, it will be a better world.”

Piedmont was an FFRF target earlier this year when the group wrote to the town in reference to public prayers over their loudspeakers before football games. That has since been replaced with a moment of silence.